But it will be so cool when a science experiment goes "horribly wrong" and 20 or so whacky artists are instilled with super powers and set out to save Public Arts Funding and PBS by attacking the Evil Dubya and is wicked cronies.

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... the city quickly leased out property for research what would otherwise be considered a coveted piece of real estate in a different town (when it could have been a much more successful venture if used for retail or, "gasp", residential)

While I share your disdain for the way the city "developes" or even "considers" downtown, I think Columbus got a little overzealous with "downtown living spaces" and there is already a backlash (before many of them have even opened).

And as far as downtown retail... nobody wants to go downtown and experience the parking madness when they can shop (near their suburban homes) at Easton and Polaris. Also, number one complaint for down town retail (other than parking)?: the riff-raff. Most people don't like the "undesirables" they have to share City Center with.

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Reality has become a commodity.
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While I share your disdain for the way the city "developes" or even "considers" downtown, I think Columbus got a little overzealous with "downtown living spaces" and there is already a backlash (before many of them have even opened).

And as far as downtown retail... nobody wants to go downtown and experience the parking madness when they can shop (near their suburban homes) at Easton and Polaris. Also, number one complaint for down town retail (other than parking)?: the riff-raff. Most people don't like the "undesirables" they have to share City Center with. :roll:

What's the backlash against downtown living spaces? I didn't think the various downtown condo developments were doing that badly.

But yeah, I'd much rather shop downtown than try to park at Easton. That place is a fucking madhouse on the weekends, whereas the ghost town that is City Center makes for a pretty painless shopping experience.

And that’s exactly my point. You can’t synthetically create culture, especially in a town like Columbus, where the pleasantries of parking, safety, and wash-and-wear consumerism trumps urban culture any day of the week for most people. The novelty of ‘urban living’ isn’t enough to recreate a downtown, and it certainly isn't enough to expect 1.5 million Central Ohioans to change their suburban migratory habits. This is precicely, in my opinion, why great ideas such as the COTA light rail won’t fly in Columbus. Sadly, we like our SUV's way too much to even think about saving money on transportation, or god forbid, the woes of traveling in public with all those 'undesirables.'

I think the biggest reason our down town isn't "inhabitable" is lack of comfortable, open "living spaces." There's not enough effort to create and utilize "natural" living (or at least hanging out) areas. I know there are a few little cute-sie "park" areas, but there need to be places where people want to spend time, hang out. Then shops and eating places can gather around those spots and people will spend time there and want to live there. It looks like there's some effort towards that in the Arena District, but that's still not in the "heart" of downtown.

You can't just put a bunch of stores in a big building and expect people to want to hang out down town. Likewise with housing.

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Not that I have anything against this idea in the abstract, but building stuff like this isn't going to make Downtown Columbus a "City", it's going to make it into Grandview. Which I think is Mr. Coleman's "visionary" plan. Let's hope he doesn't get to turn the entire state of Ohio into Grandview.